Katie Bedke

We live in the digital age and rely heavily on the internet and social media platforms to connect us with others personally and professionally.  As I stated in my previous post, it is imperative to be responsible with how we conduct ourselves online. Unlike footsteps on a dirt path that can be wiped away, our digital footprint is more permanent and is often used as the first impression that others will make of us.  I have given a great deal of thought about my own digital footprint and my plan of how I want and should conduct myself going further in my personal and professional life.  I may not always know what is around the corner or what opportunities may arise, but I should always be conducting myself in a manner that upholds a positive reflection of myself.  Below is a graphic that showcases ten specific strategies that will help me pave the way for a positive and reputable online presence.  Here are more specific details about each strategy that I have set. 1.  Google Myse

It is amazing to think about how life has changed in the last 10-15 years.  When I was in school my digital footprint was not something I thought about and really hadn’t even heard about (granted I graduated from high school in 2002 which I don’t think is that long ago).   There are so many benefits for living in this digital age, access to information 24/7, connecting with people across the globe, acquiring knowledge, fostering creativity, etc. The advances of technology have happened relatively rapidly not allowing for much time to think about some of the consequences of our online activity.  One needs to realize that with every click we leave a trail of data and our footprints, some small and some big, of what we do online- also known as our digital footprint. Even with all the benefits of the internet, we need to be mindful of what we do and communicate online. Our digital footprint is a story of us, it can now serve as the first impression that others have of us even if we h

As stated in my initial blog post, I am new to the Twitter world for various reasons.  So, this past week I really tried to spend some time using this social platform, understanding how I can employ chat searches, organize lists, utilize Tweetdeck, and determine the usability of Twitter for professional development. I currently teach online high school biology using Schoology as the learning management system, which will be for the first time.  I wanted to focus on hashtags related to my current role, some of these included #ScienceTeachers, #Schoology, #OnlineTeaching, #BlendedLearning, and  #EnvironmentalScience.  I also continued readings post of those that I follow, like Edutopia, EdSurge, Mind Shift, and Nat Geo Education.   Below you find a screenshot of part of my Tweetdeck from the week. The following are some noteworthy ideas, resources, and topics I discovered… A great idea that I found from a teacher in Florida was a laboratory idea for environmental biolo